MTN Nigeria has implemented a sharp increase in the cost of its data subscriptions, following the recent tariff adjustment approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The new prices, which took effect this week, have triggered complaints from subscribers who argue that the hikes go beyond the 50% increase authorised by the regulator.
A review of MTN’s updated data plans shows that the 1.8GB monthly plan now costs ₦1,500, replacing the previous 1.5GB plan which was ₦1,000.
Similarly, the 15GB plan has risen from ₦4,500 to ₦6,500, while the 20GB plan now sells for ₦7,500, up from ₦5,500. The changes also extend to text messaging, with all major operators now charging ₦6 per SMS, up from the previous ₦4.
Even with NCC’s approval for a 50% increase, some of MTN’s revised data plans have reportedly seen hikes exceeding this limit.
For instance, the 15GB weekly plan, previously priced at ₦2,000, now costs ₦6,000, a 200% increase. Likewise, the 100GB data bundle, which used to be ₦20,000, has been replaced by a 90GB plan for ₦25,000, a 25% increase.
The 600GB bundle, once ₦75,000, has now been adjusted to ₦120,000 for 480GB, amounting to a 60% price jump.
The unexpected price surge has led to frustration among subscribers, with many taking to social media to voice their dissatisfaction online. One user on X (formerly Twitter), @limasyre, pointed out the discrepancy between the NCC’s approval and the actual price changes:
“NCC approved 50 per cent tariff hike on telecoms in Nigeria. A price increase from N2,000 to N6,000 for the same 15GB weekly data plan is a 200 per cent increase. A 50 per cent hike is supposed to be N3,000. Good luck to all the parties involved. As for me, I’m not buying that plan again.”
Another user, @officialdey1, warned that the network could start losing customers, saying: “MTN gonna lose customers because I don’t understand how you will raise the cost of 15GB data from N2,000 to N6,000.”
The controversy surrounding the price review stems from NCC’s earlier announcement in January, approving a tariff adjustment for telecom operators to address rising costs of operations.
The Commission, in a statement signed by its director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, explained that the decision was made to sustain the industry: “The adjustment, capped at a maximum of 50 per cent of current tariffs, though lower than the over 100 per cent requested by some network operators, was arrived at taking into account ongoing industry reforms that will positively influence sustainability.”
However, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has promised to challenge the tariff increase in court, arguing that the decision was made without proper consultation with consumers.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has defended the NCC’s approval, stating that the move was necessary to ensure the telecom industry remains viable. It also clarified that operators were not required to raise their tariffs by the full 50%, leaving room for them to adjust rates based on their business considerations.
“It is important to highlight that this approval does not mean automatic increases in tariffs. Operators are free to maintain their current rates if they find them sustainable,” the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre said in a statement.
